The Energy Saving Trust kicks off 2010 by rolling out the Boiler Scrappage Scheme announced in the pre-budget report. It aims to improve Britain’s energy efficiency, to save people’s energy bills, and boost the gas fitting and boiler manufacturing industries. Three birds—one stone.

The scheme is not perfect, though: it missed a chance to make better use of EPC assessors, and it could even be open to a touch of abuse. All in all, is the Boiler Scrappage Scheme brilliant or flawed?

One of the most common things my team encounters when doing a domestic EPC assessment is that people think the work to improve energy efficiency will be unaffordable. Or to put it more bluntly,

“It’s all very well suggesting home improvements, but where do you think we’re going to find the money for that?”

The good news is, though: in many cases, there’s free money available to do it. More surprisingly still – it’s money we’ve already paid out!